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THL
ffUJlC TIRADE
V O L XXXVI. N o . 6.
Published Ei«y Saturday by Edward Lyman BiU at l Madison ATenw, New York, Feb. 7,1903.
SEEING THE EVIL OF THEIR WAYS.
P O M E recent events indicate that in some
^ parts of Europe this country is still con-
sidered the land of ignorance in music, to be
exploited by sensational methods; but the
truth is being recognized gradually. In a
sense New York has become the great finish-
ing school in opera, developing the younger
and refining the older artists, taking every one
of them at their true value and without re-
gard to European prestjge.
It is worthy of note that a change has come
over the German music critics. Heretofore
it has been their custom to declare that their
singers were spoiled in America. Every un-
prejudiced writer of music knows that the
contrary is the case. Lili Lehmann may be
cited as a striking example. New York has
made the reputation of many singers and
fixed the status of others who enjoyed fic-
titious artistic reputations. In the last few
months several German critics have admitted
this, One of them, who writes in the Ham-
burger Nachrichten, said recently that Schu-
mann-Heink, who some years ago was a
singer with a fine natural voice, is now a
finished artist.
Unless the art of an operatic artist is so ad-
mirable as to compensate for vocal shortcom-
ings—as in the case of Van Dyck—the Am-
erican verdict is based on voice and method.
If Anthes sings a few years he will then
justify his Dresden reputation, Gerhauser,
who is liked in Germany, has gone back, a
sadder and wiser man.
All this is logical. The environment of the
principal singers of the world must of neces-
sity exert a beneficial influence. If Gadski
had remained in Europe she would never
have become what she is to-day, a great dra-
matic singer, equally at home in the roles of
German and Italian opera, as Sieglinde, Eliz-
abeth, Santuzza, Valentine and A'ida.
HERE ARE THE "GREATEST."
A Paris paper has been discussing the
* * question with its readers: "Which are
the six living actors or actresses in the world
who have done the most for dramatic or
lyric art?" A woman heads the list—Mme.
Sarah Bernhard—with 14,997 votes, and beats
by nearly 8,000 the elder Coquelin, who comes
second. M. Mounet-Sully is third, supported
by 11,792 admirers. The only other women
on the list besides Mme. Bernhardt are Eleo-
nora Duse, who is fourth with 8,317 votes,
and Mmes. Re jane and Adelina Patti, who
follow her with 6,697 and 4,215, respectively.
Sir Henry Irving's name was sent in by 2,-
433 readers.
DEATH OF WELL-KNOWN COMPOSERS.
T^ WO distinguished composers died in Paris
* last week in the persons of Augusta
Holmes, the eminent pianist and composer,
and Robert Planquette, well known through
his melodious comic opera, "The Chimes of
Normandy." Miss Holmes, who was born
in Ireland, was brought to Paris by her
parents when quite young. At first a pianist
merely, she .took up the study of composition
with Lambert, Klose and Cesar Franck, and
in 1873 produced her first important work,
the psalm "In Exitu." Her most famous work
was the symphonic poem, "Hero and Lean-
der," Among her compositions were sym-
phonies, cantatas, pastoral and lyric dramas,
many of which were dedicated to the land of
her birth to which she was devotedly at-
tached, notwithstanding her French associa-
tions. She composed no fewer than a hun-
dred songs. Miss Holmes was fifty-four
years of age.
MARK HAMBOURG AS A COLLECTOR.
IV/I ARK HAMBOURG, the young Russian
* * pianist, is a collector of musical mem-
orabilia. He lives at present largely upon the
knowledge that when Felix Moscheles, presi-
dent of the English Peace Society, and son
of the famous pianist, Ignace Moscheles,
passes over to the majority, he is to receive
from the estate the manuscript of Beethoven's
"Coriolanus" overture,now in Mr. Moscheles'
collection.
Mr, Hambourg carries with him one of
his most precious souvenirs. It is a locket,
one side of which contains a lock of hair from
the head of Liszt, and the other one from the
head of Rubinstein. These two locks were
cut by the hand of the great Russian pianist,
Annette Essipoff.
ALBERT GERARDTHIERS.
T ^ H E Technic of Musical Expression is just
• in the last stages and will make its ap-
pearance shortly. This happy subject most
aptly treated by Albert Gerard-Thiers can
hardly fail to make a great success as Mr.
Thiers has been working on theories which
developed the writing of his book in a practi-
cal way for many years, ever since his en-
trance into the world of music, in fact. He
has lectured upon these subjects far and wide
and he is known as an authority upon the
subject.
On Tuesday evening Mr. Thiers will give
at his studio in Carnegie Hall, one of his de-
lightful recitals in conjunction with Mrs. St.
John Brenon, who has made herself known in
the field of intelligent and interesting talkers
upon musical and literary subjects.
$2.00 PKR YEAR
SINGLE COPIES, 10 CENTS
MEDAL FOR A NEW NATIONAL ANTHEM.
JVAESSRS, T I F F A N Y & CO. have on ex-
* * hibition the beautiful gold medal which
they recently completed for the Society of the
Cincinnati in the State of Rhode Island, and
offered by the State for the best musical com-
position adapted to S. F. Smith's "America."
The medal is of pure gold. It measures two
and one-half inches in diameter and weighs
150 dwts.
On the obverse side is shown a copy of the
society's badge—an eagle holding in its claws
a wreath of laurel and on its breast an oval
shield bearing a classical representation of the
American Revolution, symbolized by three
Roman citizens presenting Cincinnatus with
a sword; in the background stands the cot-
tage of the Cincinnatus, with his wife at the
door. Around the oval is the motto, "Omnia
relinquit servare rempublicam." (He leaves
all for the cause of the Republic.) The com-
petition for the medal closes Feb. 22, 1903.
The committee which will decide it will have
the benefit of the professional advice of Dud-
ley Buck and Samuel P. Warren.
AN ADJUNCT TO THE MILLIONAIRE.
" T H E private impresario is the latest ad-
junct of the millionaire's house. He is
an efficient instrument in disposing of ihe su-
perfluous wealth to be spent in entertaining.
His business is to arrange musical parties
for his patrons. He tells them what to have
on the programs if they do not know, and he
suggests what singers or instrumentalist shall
be engaged. And, of course, he looks out for
the part he is to play in the affair,
If he cherishes an ambition to be an orches-
tral conductor, he will suggest numbers suited
to the kind of orchestra he plans to lead. If
he is also a composer, he will have at least one
of his numbers on the program. It may be
an orchestral number or a song, it may be on
the program or may appear as an encore;
but it will be heard somehow. There seems
to be money in the scheme for all concerned.
TO CREATE A PERMANENT ORCHESTRA.
I T appears that a movement is on foot to
' create a permanent orchestra for Herman
Hans Wetzler, in this city. The men behind
this move are millionaires, and their interest
is not so much in the advancement of musical
culture as it is a personal one in young Mr,
Wetzler, who is naturally ambitious. He has
done much latterly to demonstrate his fitness
for the post of conductor in the orchestral
world of New York. It is said that over one
hundred thousand dollars has already been
secured, but it will take more than that to
make a permanent orchestra, pr a conductor,